Beer City, USA
Grand Rapids celebrated 10 years as Beer City USA in 2022. Since winning that title in a nationwide poll, the city has won a bevy of additional ale accolades – including USA Today nods for America’s Best Beer City (2023, 2022 & 2021), Best Beer Scene (2017) and Best Beer Town (2014).
Our meteoric rise from a town without a brewery in 1996 to America’s top beer destination less than two decades later is being chronicled in a new documentary television series, Beer City, USA. Experience Grand Rapids is proud to support and contribute to the project – and you can also play a part.
Quantity and quality make Grand Rapids the top choice of beer lovers. There are more than 40 craft breweries within a 30-minute drive and each of them produces a distinctly delicious lineup of liquid bliss. Scroll down for everything you need to plan your beercation!
Become a Beer City Brewsader!
GET THE APP!
Are you a beer buff? An ale enthusiast? An IPA aficionado? You should join the Beer City Brewsade® today. Download the Beer City Brewsader® app (Google Play and Apple stores) and check in to eight area breweries to earn a FREE collectible t-shirt! Already a Brewsader? Become an Ultimate Brewsader - stay tuned for new perks coming soon!
Get Beer City news, events, discounts and deals delivered to your inbox four times a year. Caution: newsletter contents may induce a powerful thirst!
Experience Beer City
Experience Beer City
Find a Brewery
Beer City Ale Trail
Become a Beer City Brewsader!
Hotel Beer Packages
Beer Tours
Photo by Experience Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is wonderful! Every brewery was unique and fun. I can't wait to come back and try some more!
Jessica C.
Hilliard, OH
Photo by Brian Kelly for Experience GR
I have enjoyed using the app and trying new places. 5 stars. Highly recommend!
Sarah S.
Kansas City, MO
Photo by Experience Grand Rapids
Lots of fun walking around the city visiting breweries. The app made it easy to find them.
Darlene M.
Goderich, Ontario Canada
Photo by Experience GR
This was a fun odyssey, and if we had more time we'd done 40!
Kathy B.
St. Petersburg, FL
Grand Rapids Beer & Brewery Tours
Make your Beer City beercation even more special with a behind-the-scenes look at some of the area’s finest craft breweries. Take a guided tour of multiple breweries to compare the handiwork of different brewmasters. Charter a party bike for a fun-filled group excursion. Or use the Beer City Ale Trail map to plot your own course among our 40+ breweries.
Explore the options below to determine your preferred touring method(s) – and consider booking a Hotel Beer Package to give yourself more time to try more beer!
Take a Tour of Area Breweries
Gail Andrus Travel Winery & Brewery Tours
- PO Box 2105
Grand Rapids Beer Tours
- Various Grand Rapids Locations
Raise A Glass Beer Tours
- Various Locations
Tours Around Michigan
- Various Grand Rapids locations
Great Lakes Pub Cruiser
- 514 Bond Ave. NW
Magic Shuttle Bus GR
- Various GR Locations
Muskegon Tour Company
- Various Locations
Breweries with Production Tours
3 Gatos Brewery Tour
- 1760 44th St SW Suite 8
Adesanya Mead & Microbrewery Facility Tour
- 3012 28th St SW
B.O.B.'s Brewery Facility Tour
- 20 Monroe Ave. NW
Bier Distillery Facility Tour
- 5295 West River Drive NE
Brass Ring Brewing Company Facility Tour
- 2404 Eastern Ave. SE
Cedar Springs Brewing Company Facility Tour
- 95 N Main St
City Built Brewing Co. Facility Tour
- 820 Monroe Ave. NW
Founders Brewing Company Facility Tour
- 235 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. SW
Gravel Bottom Craft Brewery Facility Tour
- 452 Ada Drive SE
Küsterer Brauhaus Facility Tour
- 642 Bridge St NW
The Mitten Brewing Company Facility Tour
- 527 Leonard St. NW
New Holland - The Knickerbocker Facility Tour
- 417 Bridge St. NW
Pike 51 Brewery Facility Tour
- 3768 Chicago Drive
Railtown Brewing Company Facility Tour
- 3595 68th Street SE
Schmohz Brewing Company Facility Tour
- 2600 Patterson S.E.
Thornapple Brewing Co. Facility Tour
- 6262 28th St. SE
Oakestown Brewery Facility Tour
- 4051 Chicago Dr SW
Beer Events
Learn more about Beer City
Check out these stories (and the videos at the bottom of this page) to discover more fascinating takes on Beer City and its breweries.
Hotel Beer Packages
Experience Grand Rapids with these Beer City Hotel Package options that include additional amenities, beer specials and other beercation fun!
Breweries that Built Beer City: Vivant Brewery + Spirits
- photo by Bryan Esler for Experience GR
- 5 min
When Kris and Jason Spaulding opened the doors to Brewery Vivant (now Vivant Brewery + Spirits) in…
TwoGuys Brewing Offers Craft Brews & Food in Wyoming, MI
- photo by Bryan Esler for Experience GR.
- 4 min
A beautiful aspect of having more than 7,000 breweries in the United States is they exist in all…
Grand Rapids Craft Breweries
- photo by Alina Albin for Experience GR
- 2 min
If you love beer, you owe yourself a trip to Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids has been known as Beer City…
Beer City Coming to a TV Near You
- 3 min
Grand Rapids’ meteoric rise from a town without a brewery in 1996 to Beer City USA less than…
Locals’ Guide to Breweries with Great Food
- photo by Addison Causley for Experience GR
- 9 min
You don’t have to order a beer to have a great time at Grand Rapids breweries. Our breweries…
Annual Beer City Brewers Festival Celebrates the Grand Rapids Beer Scene
- photo by Experience GR
- 5 min
Sept. 28, 2024 at Calder Plaza One of the most surprising features of Grand Rapids…
Breweries That Built Beer City: Founders Brewing Co.
- photo by Bree Girard for Experience GR
- 5 min
With more than 50 breweries along the Ale Trail in the greater Grand Rapids area, it’s no…
Grand Rapids Breweries with Interesting History and Historic Features
- photo by Experience Grand Rapids
- 7 min
One of the beautiful aspects about the rise of craft beer in the United States is the tendency for…
Celebrating 10 Years of Beer City USA
- photo by Experience Grand Rapids
- 5 min
Grand Rapids has been known as Beer City USA since 2012, when the city tied Asheville, North…
Women Crafting the Beverage Industry in Grand Rapids
- photo by Alina Albin for Experience GR
- 15 min
USA Today has recognized Grand Rapids as the Craft Beverage Capital of America. We want to recognize…
Enjoy Historic-Style Beers at Archival Brewing
- photo by Aly Zuiderveen for Experience GR.
- 4 min
A tour of the Beer City Ale Trail will take you across the world via the different global beer…
Breweries that Built Beer City: Schmohz Brewing Company
- photo by Experience Grand Rapids
- 4 min
Voted Best Beer Town, Best Beer Scene, Best Beer City and Beer City, USA, the Grand Rapids area is…
Alebird Taphouse and Brewery: Creating Community Around the Craft
- photo by Brian Craig for Experience GR
- 5 min
Byron Center, about 20 minutes southwest of downtown Grand Rapids, joined the local craft beer scene…
Speciation Artisan Ales: Where the Wild Things Are
- photo by Wes Kitten
- 5 min
Proprietor and mastermind Mitch Ermatinger, along with wife and partner, Whitney, opened Speciation…